Tim Tszyu’s frightening plan for rival Joel Camilleri in Australian boxing title fight

Tim Tszyu has questioned whether Australian champion Joel Camilleri can endure the punishment he plans to deliver on Wednesday night — leading to an outrageous claim.

• Kostya: my son has what it takes to take down Horn
• Mundine’s message to Akkawy after title blow

Boxing prodigy Tim Tszyu not only wants Joel Camilleri’s Australian title, he wants his soul.

In a startlingly ominous comment ahead of their showdown on Wednesday night at The Star Casino, the son of legend Kostya Tszyu vowed to make national champion Camilleri feel things he’s never felt in the ring.

“Joel is a strong boy and he’s got that No. 1 position for a reason, I’ve worked my whole life to get to this position, to be able to challenge for the Australian title, and it’s a big thing in my career,” Tszyu said during a face-off interview with Camilleri for The Daily Telegraph website.

Tim Tszyu and Joel Camilleri face off ahead of the showdown at The Star. Picture: Adam Yip

“It’s a one-on-one sport, so take away my last name, take away that my dad was this great boxer. It’s Tim versus Joel, and with boxing you have to plan to take the soul out of your opponent, to make them quit, or hit them with shots where they can’t recover.

“That’s the most interesting part about boxing; you have this confidence when you come into a fight, but once you do get hit, and once you feel something you’ve never felt before, will your soul stay, or will it not?”

Tim Tszyu says he wants to take the soul of his opponent. Picture: Adam Yip

Undefeated Tszyu (12-0, 10KO) headlines his first Main Event pay-per-view show, and a confident Camilleri (17-5-1, 8KO) has no qualms that despite holding the super-welterweight belt, his rival is receiving all of the attention.

“His dad was a champion, his dad is a hall-of-famer, he has his dad’s blood so he’s got the name to sell the fight,” Camilleri said.

“At the end of the day we’ve both worked our arses off to get to where we’ve got to today, and it’s a pleasure to be fighting [Tim] — Kostya Tszyu was a hero of mine growing up. I watched his, loved his boxing, loved his style.

“I do believe I can stop him, I believe I can stop anyone on my good day.

“There’s no pressure on me, and when I do go in there and cause the ‘upset’, everyone is going to look at me and say, ‘Far out, this guy is the real deal’.”

Joel Camilleri says Kostya Tszyu — father of his opponent, Tim — was one of his heroes growing up. Picture: Adam Yip

Tszyu, 24, is not perturbed by the pressure of now headlining shows.

“I’m hungrier than ever, I want victory, and I want to win hard,” Tszyu said.

“This fight is going to bring something you haven’t seen, I am going to show Australia who I am.”

Camilleri, from Melbourne, has been sparring highly-rated stablemate Michael Zerafa in preparation for this bout.

If Tszyu prevails, he is set to fight Zerafa next.